


Harae

by YumeBanashi



Category: Original Work
Genre: Adventure, Animals, Edo Period, Foxes, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Kappa, Mystery, Mystical Creatures, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Story - Freeform, Paranormal, Slice of Life, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-08 17:53:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19475689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumeBanashi/pseuds/YumeBanashi
Summary: Follow two ambivalent but aspiring travelers as they solve life's greatest mysteries throughout edo Japan. Nothing stops a strong bond like teacher and student as the two come across a series of supernatural events involving creatures such as nukekubis, haradashis, foxes, tanukis, and so much more of the unknown, eventually leading up to question the meaning of their simple yet thought-provoking wanderings.





	Harae

**Author's Note:**

> My first original story that I published online. Wrote this for a school assignment I half-assed, but I kind of took a liking to it and decided to polish it before posting. I have no clue how long this will be, but it may be an extended series (as are most of my works lol). These stories are somewhat based on a childhood TV series I used to watch called Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi. The folklore stories are very popular and it inspired me to write this. However, they will also mostly consist of maybe or maybe not cliche stories I've heard from family. If you like Mushishi, you may also like this cause it has a touch of its familiarity with its setting and a lone character who studies the paranormal, except he has quite an ambitious student. Without further ado, please enjoy. :)

The village was in deep sleep. Sandy pathways were covered in complete darkness but with only the moon’s delicate luminescence highlighted onto it. A single bright and yellow lantern moved towards the entrance, quietly passing by noiseless houses. Their footsteps were soundless, but slowly moving while doing their all to cause no disturbance on this dead-silent night. If anyone were to awake and see them, there would be suspicions among the village. 

The forest they entered was ominously quiet. Trees fallen from last week’s storm lie forgotten upon the thick woodland. The sky vanishes with every footstep, taking them further into the chilling timberland that was once so alive. Its canopy was dense and only little moonlight had managed to strike through the boughs of leaves in shadowy beams. An unnatural and smoky fog had come to take over the forest floor, swarming the two trespassers like a cage. It served them as a reminder to turn back.

The earth beneath their waraji footwear turned muddier through the rutted path as they climbed over slopes of grimy hills. Strangely enough the air felt cold and chilling even though it was mid-summer. The smell of wet leaves cascaded over whispering branches and certain other eerie noises such as the deep hooting of a nearby owl and the vibrating melodic croaks of frogs. Their eyes tried adjusting slowly to the late night gloom encroaching before them. Darkness closed in sooner than expected and the only source of light was the lantern one of them held to guide their way. It took a while for them to reach their destination.

The susurrus of the river was heard straight ahead of their pathway. They drew closer near the streams of flowing water, it was glistening, serene, calm, and tranquil. If only their murmurings wouldn’t disturb the peace.

“Sensei, where is this creature that you speak of?” The boy spoke, quiet but curious.

The older man inhaled a few breaths to prepare him for the abnormal. “It should appear soon enough, but keep in mind that it might just want to play tricks on us.”

Even more puzzled by his answer, the boy chose to wait before asking more questions. His teacher sat down on the smooth rocks by the riverbank, not thinking twice about going near the river. The boy stood still behind him. He pondered what kind of supernatural being hid behind these mountains, especially one near a river, or more accurately, in it. He wondered on and on about this anomalous mission. 

His thoughts were then disrupted by ripples of the water in front of them. The movement brought shivers down the boy’s spine and it was only a matter of seconds before a figure arose from the river.

“Ginji sensei! Look!”

Just when the boy pointed to the river, it surfaced only halfway. The bowl-like head of his peaked out slowly from the clear waters, moving only slightly until it stopped. Eyes were hidden, but they still observed the two of them staring back at him in wonderment.

 _So they really do exist,_ Ginji thought. 

“Shinta,” Ginji harshly whispered his student’s name, without taking his eyes from the creature. He held out his right hand that gestured to the basket the boy carried. Shinta quickly pulled out one cucumber and handed it to him. His teacher stood up, but hesitated on walking over to him.

“No need to be afraid, we came with a gift.”

“And what will that serve me?” the river creature spat. His voice was abnormally deep and unemotional. He spoke this time with his entire head above the water. 

“Serve you? You mean to say serve _us._ There is usually a deal involving-”

“I’ll accept no deal or favor from a ruthless human. Only a gift.”

Ginji breathed in and exhaled. “The village that you live nearby have reported incidents of horses and children stolen during the night. We only ask that you stop if we offer you a favor.”

Ginji swallowed hard; the bob in his throat was visible to the river creature’s eyes. It was far more intelligent than what the stories have told him. It read him faster than he imagined and now he surely didn’t expect to think of a plan. Stepping out of the water, the creature stood to its full height; about four feet. Its claws curled and moved in a spine chilling manner. It’s limbs outstretched with the claws clicking and water dripped at the bottom like blood from his previous victims. Ginji staggered back just a little. His voice was almost gone.

The wicked water imp didn’t step forward. His skin was glowing green under the faint moonlight. His beak which was clamped shut opened once again. 

“Why do you accuse me of those wrong-doings?”

Ginji blinked at it a few times. “Because the village people described the thief as a turtle-like creature with claws and eyes as big as chestnuts. Although I have to admit they got the last part wrong.” He chuckled to himself as he observed the creature’s small and slanted eyes. “Don’t worry, we’re not here to harm you,” he then declared.

 _That’s a lie,_ the apprentice thought.

“That’s a lie,” the creature said out loud. 

Ginji was taken aback once again. “It speaks…”

“Because you spoke to me,” he retaliated. 

“Tch.” Ginji gave him an annoyed look. 

“And it’s no ‘it.’” 

“What?”

“You referred to me as ‘it.’ If you’re here to talk with me than have at least some decent respect to call me by my name,” he said. Since the two have met eyes, Ginji approached him like a mindless animal and even talked to him like one to which the kappa disliked.

“Okay, then what’s your name?” Ginji asked.

“I don’t want to tell _you._ ”

Ginji tried not to lose his cool, but he already had a short temper. “Then what shall I call you? You difficult-to converse-with thief!”

The creature glared at him in response.

“This is my master Ginji. My name is Shinta. We are mere travelers who come in peace. Would you mind telling us your name so that we can call you anything other than a kappa or a thief?” Shinta spoke quietly and politely, although his tone of voice judged his teacher.

The kappa hesitated. The boy was no older than fifteen. He seemed very respectful of everyone no matter who they were. Perhaps he was to be easily trusted. 

“It’s Gonta,” the kappa answered. He received a small smile from Shinta.

Ginji crossed his arms and cleared his throat. “I came here to offer a trade, Mr. Gonta.”

His disciple picked up the basket of vegetables and lifted it over to him. He set it down in front of Gonta.

“Just what exactly would you want from _me?_ ”

“An arm,” Ginji said as he smirked. 

“What possessed you to believe I would give you my arm?”

“The village will leave you alone if they think you’re dead. In return, I’ll bring you baskets full of as many food as you would like. But you have to keep the promise of not affiliating with the village anymore. No more stealing.”

Gonta stood forlorn. He has never been approached _without_ a weapon facing his way. These two seemed different from the others. “No one has negotiated with me before, I appreciate that much from you humans. But I can’t make this deal. I need...I want both my limbs.”

“Hmmm, I suppose you need to swim right?”

“Yes. And more.”

“And more?”

_Like to kill?_ Ginji thought ruthlessly. Legends confirm that kappas tend to pull over-the-line pranks and mischief that include drowning their victims for fun.

“Are there any body parts you are willing to give to us?”

Gonta shook his head. 

“How about wrestling it out to see who wins?” Ginji pestered with a grin on his face. 

“I refuse.”

Ginji frowned once more. “Hmph. Fine then, I guess it’s no deal.”

As the two quarreled, Shinta looked at the ginormous cucumber sticking out of the basket. Gonta stood right in front of it, scratching his arms anxiously. They were both almost the same color of green, only the cucumber was darker. But it was thick and it resembled his arm. Then, Shinta got an idea.

“Sensei, I have a suggestion.” Shinta picked up the cucumber as he explained his proposal.

“I suppose that could work, but if the villagers find out, we’re in deep trouble. They’ll never rest about it.”

“But we’re travelers. We always leave and never stay anywhere.”

“I know, Shinta, but I promised to take care of you. Disturbing the village, or I should say, angering them might cause someone to hunt us down for deceiving them. It’s just risky.” Ginji scratched his ears.

“But Mr. Gonta here has to constantly live in fear of that. It’s the least we can do.”

Gonta looked at the boy in awe. A human defending him was a story to tell his friends and family that he had secretly and safely hidden. They would have a hard time believing him. To be clear, the villagers only thought there was one kappa, and that was Gonta only.

“If you bring me a basket of vegetables such as this one for a while. Will you promise to leave u-” He swallowed. “leave...me alone? And ensure my safety?”

Ginji looked between his student’s pleading eyes and Gonta’s. He sighed, then grumbled to himself as he thought of what to say to the village people. 

……..

“Behold, the arm of the river monster!” Ginji held out the giant cucumber carved into a hand with sticks made to look like claws. 

Everyone oohed and awed while applauding him for defeating the creature. Some tried to take a closer look, but Ginji quickly covered it in a cloth.

“It’s for your safety,” he said. “Touch the arm and it will bring you bad luck.”

“Such as?” Someone questioned. 

“You’ll likely run out of water. If it comes to the worst, you’ll drown in a river,” he answered. _This village has enough bad luck as it is._

“What did you do to the body?”

“I burned it so that it’ll never show it’s awful face again. The arm is just proof that it’s dead.”

 _You could have just shown us,_ the villagers thought. 

More questions filled the air. They asked Ginji how he knew so much; what kept kappas alive, their behaviors, their appearance and so on. An old man couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the conversations. Ginji explained to one person that kappas needed water on top of their head to survive. It was just as the illustrations were displayed. They have a bowl-like dent on their heads that hold the water; their only source for magical powers-for survival. 

“I don’t trust em,” the old man said quietly among his two other group of friends. “They’re just doing this for their own personal gain.” Part of it was true. It was the only way for them to make money after all. Ginji especially would do anything for an award. He was also a very knowledgeable man. He dedicated his whole life to studying mythological creatures as well as researching the supernatural forces unknown to this world. Being that it was edo period Japan, some found him crazy, while few others like his disciple Shinta admired him.

“How about we go check out the river ourselves? I have a feeling there might be more of them.”

“Good think’n boss! Maybe we can catch one ourself!” his friend said with excitement.

“Yes, and maybe we’ll see if this man really knows what he’s talking about.” The boss of the group walked up to Ginji among the crowd of questionable villagers. “Excuse me brave sir, you say that the bowl on their head is their means of living, correct?”

Ginji blinked in startlement. The way this man approached him was rather iffy. “Uh, yes.”

“What should we do if we ever encountered one again? We would like to know just to be safe.”

Ginji answered him without much thought, “Well, one technique that seemed to work…”

…..

Gonta rummaged through the basket of freshly grown vegetables. He handed an eggplant to another one of his kind. They thanked him and walked away. A younger one appeared before him, patiently waiting to have one. He was his son. 

“Here you go,” he gave his child the biggest one. His eyes lit up with joy. They were much bigger than his father’s, much brighter and innocent.

The family ate in peace until their harmony was disturbed by a rustling in the bushes. The little ones were encouraged and pushed to dive into the waters and swim away. Gonta was the only one who stayed put, hoping that it was the same two who made a deal once again. Since the past few days they had brought plenty of food. He even agreed to wrestle with Ginji for a bet that he would bring twice as many. Gonta won of course. Kappas were the superior ones at wrestling. Gonta discovered that some humans still had kindness in their hearts, even if others made up stories of them that made them seem evil. 

This man that appeared in front of him, however, was not human. Gonta knew it in his heart. He didn’t have the same vibes of friendliness or sincerity as Shinta or Ginji. He wore a dark blue kimono and an affable smile. “I see my friend has given you plenty to eat for weeks. Please, allow me to offer you some more.” The man set down a basket of radishes and cucumbers just like Ginji had. 

Gonta was wary at first, but it seemed like he knew Shinta and Ginji. He also saw the man bow, and so he appreciated his courtesy. Gonta did the same thing, tilting his head down low. Slowly, the water spilled out from his head. He didn’t notice it until he heard the water falling out onto the rocks. His mouth was starting to feel dry and his eyes widened upon the realization.

“Now! Quickly!”

A bag covered Gonta’s eyes and he was forced into it, but he couldn’t fight back. He was too drained from the lack of water. All he could do was hiss, but then he was hit from the outside of the bag. 

“That’ll shut you up.”

“What a polite thing it is. Bowing for us like that,” the boss said.

The kappa choked on the humid yet dry air that wasn’t wet enough for him. He inched his torso towards the river. The trickling of the water were calling his name, as was his family who hid under it. Crawling his way there, he was tied up before he could reach it. They carried him like a net of fish and proceeded to the village.

……..

The tower of wood was built in the center of their town which overlooked anxious families and angry individuals. What lie before their eyes was Gonta still tied up. He was displayed like a trophy for everyone to curse and yell at. Already beaten by their hands and hard objects, he was torn apart by their harsh and ugly words. The infuriating rage in their eyes struck his core. He was helpless and tired. There was nothing he could do but wait for his death. Possibly to be eaten by the folks.

“We were told that you can make it rain,” the boss of the previous group who had kidnapped him said. 

Gonta did not answer. 

Instantly and without warning, he grabbed him by the hair. Still, he did not make any noise. Even their harsh aggravations failed to make him flinch. He was only tired.

“Our home has been without crops for nearly half a year. The least you can do is make it rain. You had plenty of food to steal from us. Now-” The old man threw him on the ground. “C’mon, we demand rain!”

Within the crowd of people, Ginji and Shinta emerged. They observed the tower with confusion and guilt. 

“Sensei, I think they… I think they found him.”

“How did this happen?” Ginji asked the person next to him.

“Oh, look who decided to show up,” the man answered. His wife scowled at him in disgust. “Since you failed to kill the monster, those who actually have the courage to face it have brought him here.”

Gonta looked up weakly at the boss. He believed in such a thing as gods and goddesses, just like these people. But he felt it hopeless to have them hear their pleas and their suffering. Despite their anger at him, he saw the thirsty and starving children, reminding him of his own. All he could do before his death was to ask the same thing, only for them to recieve help.

“Oh...if anyone in the heavens is listening, please give these people some water. Please, I beg of you great and powerful gods. Give them water.”

The shouting died down, and there was only silence left. 

“Sensei, we have to do something. He’s dying.”

Ginji cursed under his breath. “I’m sorry, but all we can do is wait for it to rain.”

“As if that’ll happen. This place has gone without rain for weeks now. He’ll have to kill that water deity for it,” the same villager stated. 

Ginji clenched his teeth. “That’s still not going to work. However many strange and unnatural beings I encountered in my journey, it’s still illogical to count on something that may or may not exist in the skies.” After arguing with him, he turned around and saw Shinta gone from his side. He lost his presence only to find him climbing the ladder of the tower. Ginji shouted for his name, but Shinta ignored him. 

“What are you doing up here, boy? Hey, that thing is dangerous! Stay away from it.”

Shinta scrutinized his gaze on the old man while untying Gonta. He was limp and tired, close to dying in his sleep. “This ‘thing’ is Mr. Gonta. And I won’t let him die because of the absurd lies that you chose to believe.” Shinta pulled out a small gourd filled with fresh water. He cautiously poured it on top of Gonta’s head.

“Why you-” The old man tried to push Shinta out of the way, but Gonta stretched out his webbed hands and clawed him just in time. He was fully awake now. 

The old man hissed in pain. Just then, Ginji ascended to the top of the tower seconds later to make sure Shinta was alright. “If you so much as touch that boy, you’ll have consequences.”

“You people are delusional, putting trust into this monster,” the old man sputtered as light blood spewed from his upper left hand. 

“Some of your stories that dates back to generations ago may be true. For as long as I know, humans hated us and so we hated them too,” Gonta said. “But I assure you, my clan and I will never cause such disturbance. I’m truly sorry for what our ancestors may have done in the past. I promise we are better than that.”

The old man squinted, but there was something similar to a change of heart in him. Ginji and Shinta glowered at him while Gonta looked at him with gentle eyes. His whole body was bruised and bloodied. The boss’s cut small cut was nothing compared to Gonta’s state, and it took long for him to realize that. The tense atmosphere died down when drops of water descended to the ground. The gray clouds loomed over them without warning, and soon enough, there was rain that soaked the ground and the wooden platform they sat on top. Heavy rain for the first time in months of barren dryness. A miracle that saved the dying village.

……

The three friends walked to what is still known as Gonta’s home. The familiar riverbank appeared before them.

After the incident that led to rain, everyone cheered for Gonta. It was a mystery whether it was his doing, given that his pleads may have reached the gods or that of it was a mere coincidence. Either way, they worshipped him. However, Gonta didn’t care much for their praise. He only wanted his family safe, and so he decided they would move farther elsewhere. The river was long and it extended deeper into the thick forest. On rare occasions the villagers would put baskets of cucumbers and vegetables where Ginji and Shinta first found him. It soon became a little shrine dedicated to the kappas. 

Ginji nodded with a smile. “Take care of yourselves.”

“And you both be careful out there,” Gonta said, his expression unchanged. 

Shinta leaned down to the kappa’s height. “I hope you can forgive us for almost tricking you. That was a bad first impression.”

“Nonsense. You saved me, which means that I owe you if we ever meet again.” Gonta bowed, although quickly this time before jumping into the river. His family swam with him and they dived under the fresh waters. 

“Ginji sensei, where are we heading to next?” Shinta asked. 

“I think you know the answer to that,” Ginji replied. 

Shinta only smiled innocently.


End file.
